నైరూప్య

Lifelong impact of breastmilk-transmitted hormones and endocrine disruptors.

G Csaba

BACKGROUND: Endocrine disruptors are hormone-like -usually lipid-soluble- natural or man-made molecules, which can be bound by human hormone receptors, simulating, stimulating or inhibiting the action of physiological hormones. They are harmful in adults however, more harmful perinatally, when faulty hormonal imprinting is provoked by them, with lifelong consequences (functional teratogenicity). By this effect alterations in hormone binding, hormone synthesis, sexual behavior, immune response, bone development, inclination to, or manifestation of diseases, etc in adult age, occur.

REVIEW: Breastmilk is the main transporter of endocrine disruptors to the infant, as the mentioned molecules are concentrated in it. The perinatal faulty hormonal imprinting is epigenetically inherited to the progeny generations however, it is not known in man how many generations will be touched (experiments on unicellulars show at least 1000 generations, in rats two generations).

CONCLUSION: Acknowledging the advances of breastfeeding in general, its disruptortransmissing faulty imprinting-effect must be known in our chemically „infected” environment, in the light of developmental origin of health and disease (DOHaD).